My grandmother, Ruth Campbell Smith (1892 - 1972) kept a diary for many years. I am posting her entries from 1925 - 1927 in this blog. Her family included sons Dale (1916 - 2004), Dick (1918 - 1971), Albert (1920 - 1979), and Ned (1923 - 1976), and later daughters Marjorie (1925 - 2010) and Eleanor (1929 - 2011). Her husband was Gilbert (1889 - 1937) and they lived in Indianapolis. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of what it was like to be a housewife and mother in the 1920's.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Friday, July 10, 1925

Friday, July 10, 1925

Ned awfully cross but I managed to get the underwear patched and made Dick a pair of pants out of Gilbert’s old Palm Beach suit. We are going to buy Dale a pair of Palm Beach pants. Dale went to the dentist this AM and Don Couper went down with him and they went to the 5 & 10 and got treated to ice cream and had a big time. Had to send Dale after Mama’s suitcase in PM.

(From today's diary entry, we get a glimpse of how frugal Grandma was (and I assume other housewifes from that era). She patched underwear. I don't know about anyone else, but I throw out underwear that needs to be patched. She also made her son a pair of pants out of his father's old pants. I guess the material was still good, but other than cutting off old jeans to make a pair of shorts when I was a teenager, I don't think I've ever had pants made from another pair of pants. Dale, the oldest son, is going to get a brand new pair of store-bought pants. I am guessing that is because those pants would be handed down so that all four boys would wear them eventually, and so they could justify the expense. I did some research and I believe the "Palm Beach" pants were made out of a blend of linen and wool, which would make them cooler in the summer time.And remember, too, that Dale was born in 1918, so he is 7 or just turning 7 when she wrote these diaries. She sent him with his friend (also about the same age) to see the dentist. I don't think today a dentist would even treat a child who showed up in his office without a parent. The office staff would probably call the police! And, I don't think they just sent kids every six months to get their teeth cleaned, like we do today, so there was probably a problem. Then later in the day, Dale rode city buses or street cars alone to go to his grandmother's house to get a suitcase. Sounds like Dale had a big day! But, if they have previously canceled their trip, why did Grandma send Dale out after the suitcase?)

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